Strap with attached washers and method of making the same



June 11, 1935. F. c. AREY 2,004,182

STRAP WITH ATTACHED WASHERS AND METHCSD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed NOV. 1, 1933 Patented June 11, 1935 PATENT OFFICE STRAP WITH ATTACHED WASHERS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fred C. Arey, Oak Park, 111., asslgnor to Vulcan Soot Blower Corporation, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 1, 1933, Serial No. 696,175

6 Claims.

Viewed in another way, the present invention may be said to have for one of its objects to pro- :duce a novel clamping device of the strap type and for another object to provide a simple and novel method of making the same.

In the soot blower art it is common to attach a holding block for a rotatable blower tube to a water tube of a boiler, by means of spring steel straps, the free ends of which are bent so as to 10 lie nearly parallel with each other in their final positions of use; thick cast iron washers beingplaced against the outer faces of these end portions so that, when a bolt is passed through the washers and the end portions of the strap and is tightened, the body portion of the strap will be drawn tightly as though the ends were gripped between rigid jaws. These mountings are frequently so positioned that free access is not had thereto and it becomes very diflicult to hold in place the four different elements while a bolt is being inserted. Specifically considered, the present invention has for its object to unite the strap in a device of the kind just described with the washers, so that they will form a single unit at the time of installation, and thus make the installation of the mounting as a whole much simpler and easier.

Since, broadly considered, the clamping device consists of a strap and washers, the present invention may be said to have for its object to unite a strap and a washer in a simple and novel way.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be A pointed out with particularity in the claims; but,

for a. full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying and constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-4 of Fig. 1'; and Fig. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the method by which the attachment of one of the washers to the strap is effected.

Referring to the drawing, l represents a comparatively wide, thick strap of spring steel bent into the form of a loop from which straight end portions 2, 2, spaced apart from each other, project. The end sections of the strap approach parallelism to each other but preferably diverge somewhat from their inner toward their outer ends when unrestrained. Lying flat against the outer sides or faces of the straight end sections of the strap are thick washers 3, 3 which are usually in the form of rectangular cast iron blocks of about the same length and width as the I parts 2, 2.

In accordance with the present invention, the material of the strap is punched laterally into the opening 4 in each washer, taking the form of prongs 5 that fit snugly against the surrounding metal of the washer; therefore, at one and the same time, providing the strap with a hole 6 registering with each of the washers and securely uniting the strap and the washers together. The openings in the washers are preferably so shaped as to be somewhat. smaller in diameter at the ends next to the straps than they are at a point or points inwardly therefrom into the washers, so that the grip of the prongs on the washers does not depend entirely on friction. This can conveniently be accomplished by making the openings in the washers frusto-conical, as shown, and placing the washers with the smaller ends of the openings next to the straps.

The work of attaching a washer to the strap may be done quickly and at little cost in a punch press, by laying the strap on top of the washer in the press and driving down through the strap and into the opening in the washer a pointed punch that ruptures the metal of the strap and bends the prongs thus created downwardly into the opening in the washer. The punch must be somewhat smaller in diameter than the opening in the small end of the washer, so as to leave space around the same for the prongs as the punch descends and the prongs are bent down. The methodv just described is illustrated in Fig. 3,which shows a washer with a strap end overlying the same and resting on the bed A of a punch press. The vertical axis of the opening in the washer registers with the vertical axis of a rupturing punch B. When the punch descends it ruptures the metal of the strap overlying the opening in the washer and drives it down into this opening, in the manner indicated in dotted lines at 5.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details .thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a metal strap and a thick washer lying flat against each other, said strap having an opening registering with the opening in the washer and prongs of a length no greater than the thickness of the washer projecting laterally therefrom into the opening in the washer and Iricticnaliy engaged with the washer.

2. In combination, a metal strap and a thick washer lying flat against each other, the hole in the washer being frusto-conical and the smaller end thereof being at the side or the washer next to the strap, and said strap having therein an opening registering with the opening in the washer and prongs or a length no greater than the thickness of the washer projecting laterally from the strap into the opening in the washer and along the slopes oi the edge walls boundingthe latter opening.

3. In combination, a metal strap and a thick washer lying flat against each other, the material of the strap opposite the opening in the washer being punched laterally to produce an opening in the strap in registration with the opening in the washer and prongs of a length no greater than the thickness of the washer fitting tightly against the edge faces 0! the washer bounding the latter opening to secure the strap and washer together.

4. The method of securing together a metal strap and a washer and creating in the strap an opening registering with that in the washer,

acne-nee which consists in laying the strap flat upon the washer and then driving a punch through that part oi the strap over the hole in the washer, thereby rupturing the metal of the strap and driving it into the hole in the washer in the form or prongs lying against the edge faces o.- the washer around the hole.

5. The method oi. securing together a metal strap and a washer and creating in the strap an opening registering with that in the washer, which consists in laying the strap fiat upon the washer and then driving through the strap and into the hole in the washer a punch almost as large as the hole in the washer and shaped to rupture the metal of the strap and press it into the opening in the washer in the form of prongs of a length no greater than the thickness of the washer.

6. The method of securing together a metal strap and a washer and creating in the strap an opening registering with that in the washer, which consists in punching the material oi. the strap laterally to produce an opening bounded by prongs of a length no greater than the thickness of the washer that extend into the hole in the washer and frictionally engage the edge faces of the washer around the hole.

FRED C. AREY. 

